Apricot season has begun and my neighbor’s tree is full of fruit. We save the seeds so we can crack them open for the kernels that we then crush and add to sugar cookie dough. The famous Italian amaretto liquer and cookies are made using these kernels. Apricot kernels are also used in soaps.
There is controversy as to the dangers of eating apricot kernels. They contain amygdalin that can cause cyanide poisoning. But research also indicates that the kernels help fight cancer.
As always, moderation is the rule. So, with some self-restraint, we will continue to eat our amaretto style cookies!
The Narrative Within 
I’m plucking cherries and mulberries from the trees I pass on my morning walks. It’s a lovely way to have breakfast!
A fantastic way to have breakfast…..healthy, free, and no clean up. I don’t believe I’ve ever tasted a mulberry before–what are they like?
They look a lot like blackberries, but they grow on a tree that can get pretty big rather than scrubby, thorny bushes. The black ones are mildly sweet and very pleasant, unlike the white kind, which are tasteless. I’ve been trying to make a dye out of them, but the method I’m using (fermented bath) keeps molding.
I guess color means flavor! Thanks for the info and good luck with the mold!